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King of the Titans #1
King of the Titans
Revenge.
Resentment. Malevolence. Desire. It wraps around him like a familiar cloak.
Like a second skin. Years of war-hardened his heart into something unfathomable. For centuries he knew nothing but retribution and the ruthlessness of death and decay . His clan lost the war. They were decimated, their way of life stripped and sold to the highest bidder.
Now he finally has a chance to take back everything he lost.
To kill the King of Titans, assassin Julian White pretends to be a courtesan.
Falling in love with Lucious Rex, the man that tortured and killed his family is an unfortunate complication.
Extremely dark MM Werewolf shifter Romance
Resentment. Malevolence. Desire. It wraps around him like a familiar cloak.
Like a second skin. Years of war-hardened his heart into something unfathomable. For centuries he knew nothing but retribution and the ruthlessness of death and decay . His clan lost the war. They were decimated, their way of life stripped and sold to the highest bidder.
Now he finally has a chance to take back everything he lost.
To kill the King of Titans, assassin Julian White pretends to be a courtesan.
Falling in love with Lucious Rex, the man that tortured and killed his family is an unfortunate complication.
Extremely dark MM Werewolf shifter Romance
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 2021
33 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
J.K. Jones
24 books170 followersI am a passionate storyteller, with a love for literature that runs deep in my veins. I enjoy weaving elements of the artistic and unconventional into my tales, which I tell both during the day and at night. My ideal Sunday is spent indulging in a steaming cup of coffee and immersing myself in the pages of the book I am currently captivated by. My all-time favorite movie is American Beauty, and I consider it a classic. My fondest memories are of the fort I built in my basement, which unfortunately had to be dismantled at the request of my mother. My favorite food is Cheetos Puffs, and while I understand the appeal of crunchy Cheetos, I prefer the texture of the puffs. I do not subscribe to the belief in a "Happily Ever After" ending, but I am open to the possibility if circumstances permit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
August 1, 2021
i kinda liked it and i kinda didn't. the premise was great but the execution was okay-ish. i just feel quite disappointed right now because the blurb and that gorgeous cover promised me so many things but in the end they didn't really deliver. on the brighter side, the story was interesting enough for me to finish it. overall, i seriously wanted for this book to kill me and it failed to do that.
July 29, 2021
2.5 stars rounding down.... I was taken in by a pretty cover and an interesting blurb.
Ok I wouldn't call this "extremely dark" unless I missed some major things happening when I started skimming after the 60% but I don't think so since I was reading the dialogue on every page.
The ARC is in an uncorrected proof but I really hope it gets a thorough look over since there are rogue periods in it, a lot of typos, wrong tenses etc. But my rating has nothing to do with that, 'cos uncorrected proof as I said.
What my rating has to do is the fact that I'm not sure the author had decided where they wanted to go with the story...
A bit of a recap:
Julian White is part of the Jarl class, a noble class that had subjugated the Prælar class, which are wolf shifters. Hearing every night the horrific screams and cries of help of a slave Prælar, one day he decides to free him in hopes of him escaping. But the Prælar instead freed the other slaves and killed his "masters". Thus the war between those classes started with Prælar winning and in turn subjugating the Jarls.
Julian, who was 10 or so when he freed the wolf the would be from then on known as Arctic Demon, grew up with one thing in his mind and heart, after he and his siblings fled to Reykjavik. Vengeance for his killed parents by killing the Arctic Demon and what better way to do it than being a courtesan and seducing him to his bed (never mind that he was a virgin).
Lucious the only thing he wanted was freedom from the hell he was living. He never planned on killing his "masters", he never planned on freeing the others but he couldn't leave them behind, nor the next group he came across nor the next etc. So he freed every slave Prælar and taught them about their wolves and how to shift. He went to war, he fought, he won. Now he wants peace, no more bloodshed so he goes from place to place helping to solve problems. So his latest stop is Reykjavik where a group of Prælar has gone missing and there are rumors for a Jarl uprising. He goes to Madame Zelina's for information and entertainment.
Julian seeing the Arctic Demon in the tavern seizes the opportunity but things don't go exactly to plan.
Both MCs have conversations with one another and generally speak of equality and peace among their classes, completely disregarding that there are 2 more classes that are neutral for now, but they only see it from their perspective and not how it will work for both sides and that keeps on going till the 60% that I started skimming. No one was putting themselves into their shoes apart from when Julian realized what was being done to Lucious when he was a slave and acknowledged the fact that he wasn't the monster he thought him to be. I'm guessing there should have been a point when both MCs would come to understand the other's POV but I don't think it clearly happened not when Lucious hand had to be forced to kill Brutus when he knew he was brutalizing jarls. And I'm not even talking about the scheme Brutus had with Nicholas.
Then there was the Fated Mates thing. There was a connection which was what drove Julian to free Lucious but Lucious never even saw Julian the first time he went to the tavern. He had to actually stumble upon him when he was visiting the room of another courtesan so that there was muddled especially for the response it provoked in Lucious. Getting bitten by Lucious during sex and being unwittingly mated to him without even a ounce of discussion first was quickly swept under the ILU rug.
I rounded down because for a first time virgin the prep was 1 finger swirled around then BAM 3 fingers in, no oiling on the cock that was to enter, fucking all night and that was extremely pleasurable with no pain or discomfort to Julian.... yeah NOPE!
All and all this started really good but around 45% it started losing steam, the same things kept being repeated with no resolution or any changes happening and after 60% I gave up and skimmed and nowhere did it grab me back.
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews & BookSprout and this is my honest review.
Ok I wouldn't call this "extremely dark" unless I missed some major things happening when I started skimming after the 60% but I don't think so since I was reading the dialogue on every page.
The ARC is in an uncorrected proof but I really hope it gets a thorough look over since there are rogue periods in it, a lot of typos, wrong tenses etc. But my rating has nothing to do with that, 'cos uncorrected proof as I said.
What my rating has to do is the fact that I'm not sure the author had decided where they wanted to go with the story...
A bit of a recap:
Julian White is part of the Jarl class, a noble class that had subjugated the Prælar class, which are wolf shifters. Hearing every night the horrific screams and cries of help of a slave Prælar, one day he decides to free him in hopes of him escaping. But the Prælar instead freed the other slaves and killed his "masters". Thus the war between those classes started with Prælar winning and in turn subjugating the Jarls.
Julian, who was 10 or so when he freed the wolf the would be from then on known as Arctic Demon, grew up with one thing in his mind and heart, after he and his siblings fled to Reykjavik. Vengeance for his killed parents by killing the Arctic Demon and what better way to do it than being a courtesan and seducing him to his bed (never mind that he was a virgin).
Lucious the only thing he wanted was freedom from the hell he was living. He never planned on killing his "masters", he never planned on freeing the others but he couldn't leave them behind, nor the next group he came across nor the next etc. So he freed every slave Prælar and taught them about their wolves and how to shift. He went to war, he fought, he won. Now he wants peace, no more bloodshed so he goes from place to place helping to solve problems. So his latest stop is Reykjavik where a group of Prælar has gone missing and there are rumors for a Jarl uprising. He goes to Madame Zelina's for information and entertainment.
Julian seeing the Arctic Demon in the tavern seizes the opportunity but things don't go exactly to plan.
Both MCs have conversations with one another and generally speak of equality and peace among their classes, completely disregarding that there are 2 more classes that are neutral for now, but they only see it from their perspective and not how it will work for both sides and that keeps on going till the 60% that I started skimming. No one was putting themselves into their shoes apart from when Julian realized what was being done to Lucious when he was a slave and acknowledged the fact that he wasn't the monster he thought him to be. I'm guessing there should have been a point when both MCs would come to understand the other's POV but I don't think it clearly happened not when Lucious hand had to be forced to kill Brutus when he knew he was brutalizing jarls. And I'm not even talking about the scheme Brutus had with Nicholas.
Then there was the Fated Mates thing. There was a connection which was what drove Julian to free Lucious but Lucious never even saw Julian the first time he went to the tavern. He had to actually stumble upon him when he was visiting the room of another courtesan so that there was muddled especially for the response it provoked in Lucious. Getting bitten by Lucious during sex and being unwittingly mated to him without even a ounce of discussion first was quickly swept under the ILU rug.
I rounded down because for a first time virgin the prep was 1 finger swirled around then BAM 3 fingers in, no oiling on the cock that was to enter, fucking all night and that was extremely pleasurable with no pain or discomfort to Julian.... yeah NOPE!
All and all this started really good but around 45% it started losing steam, the same things kept being repeated with no resolution or any changes happening and after 60% I gave up and skimmed and nowhere did it grab me back.
I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews & BookSprout and this is my honest review.
September 17, 2021
It was awesome😭. The sex was passionate and the way each tried to resist each other, to hate each other and failed because they'd always loved each other was beautiful. I admit I cried, at the part Lucious leaves but I still liked it. It was surprisingly short for a book with 58 chapters but I actually preferred that I think.
August 29, 2022
I wanted a enemies-to-lovers, “I’ll kill the one that killed my family” story. Instead you get a story that is bogged down with religious lore, shaky worldbuilding (that only makes the slightest bit of sense if you read the Characters & Clans bit at the very beginning of the book, before the TOC), and a ridiculous, convoluted plot of kidnappings and rebellions.
If this story has just been about a former noble posing as a courtesan to kill the man that killed his family, this would have been A+. But since there is so much going on this book, we get to see very little of Julian and Lucious together. It also takes til the 55% mark for these two to get the show on the road. And after all that build up, it sure was a letdown.
I’m just going to list issues with this book in point form, because if I go into depth, I’ll be typing all day.
* the wall of text disclaimer mentions “scenes of violence” and “rape, but chapter 27 in it’s entirety is a fairly graphic torture and rape scene that serves no purpose other than evening trauma porn
* the whole jarl and karl thing is confusing, as the author has taken words with historic meaning but decided to have them mean something complete different without really explaining anything
* too much describing of outfits
* it’s mentioned more than a few times that very few people know Lucious Rex’s true identity or his appearance , and yet everyone seems to recognize who he is
* rogue commas
* pointless flashback scenes (I hate flashbacks!!)
* half brother and stepbrother are used interchangeably, even though those are not the same thing
* “I turned eighteen next week.”
* so much talk of religious stuff, which really has zero weight on the story
* Queen Elizabeth I’s ‘On Monsieur’s Departure’ is quoted and referenced, which means this takes place sometime post 1600, during “The Age of Barbarians”, which if that is supposed to be similar to the Viking era means there is few hundred years difference in those timelines
* the whole uprising plot was very thrown together and did really make a lot of sense at a glance and less sense upon closer examination (whatever came of the missing Praelar?)
* there are gated mates, but apparently you can have a mate who already found their mate, so I’m unclear on how that’s fated, or why a Praelar would have a fated mate that was human if Praelar live so much longer than humans, seems cruel
* karls can apparently be thousands of years old
* “Nighttime came, thick like black straps of molasses bleeding over the sky”… why are sky metaphors always the most nonsensical things?
* magic muzzles which will be the downfall of the Praelar and never come into play
* magic bear traps hidden under fake floors and a cage that falls on a stage with spikes, that may or may not be magic, all rigged up in a warehouse for some nonsensical climatic battle scene
* magic noose that will “wrap around the neck of whomever you will it to. The noose will tighten, then expel spikes into their necks, killing them instantly”, only the noose kills the wrong person and breaks their neck with no spikes involved… seems like a shitty magic noose… but you would also think a giant wolf with ice horns and “infused with the power of Addum” would need a magic noose to kill his enemies
* bad math: Julian was 10, and Lucious was 15 when Lucious killed Julian’s parents and sparked a rebellion. Julian is now 18, so that means 8 years have passed, but Lucious mentions all the things he has accomplished before he turned 29. 15+8=/=29
It should be noted that I did enjoy the parts with Julian, the virgin courtesan once bound for priesthood, trying to seduce his parents killers (who also ate them alive, no big deal), so that he can in turn kill him. But those parts where so few and I wanted a more gradual transition from hate to love.
If this story has just been about a former noble posing as a courtesan to kill the man that killed his family, this would have been A+. But since there is so much going on this book, we get to see very little of Julian and Lucious together. It also takes til the 55% mark for these two to get the show on the road. And after all that build up, it sure was a letdown.
I’m just going to list issues with this book in point form, because if I go into depth, I’ll be typing all day.
* the wall of text disclaimer mentions “scenes of violence” and “rape, but chapter 27 in it’s entirety is a fairly graphic torture and rape scene that serves no purpose other than evening trauma porn
* the whole jarl and karl thing is confusing, as the author has taken words with historic meaning but decided to have them mean something complete different without really explaining anything
* too much describing of outfits
* it’s mentioned more than a few times that very few people know Lucious Rex’s true identity or his appearance , and yet everyone seems to recognize who he is
* rogue commas
* pointless flashback scenes (I hate flashbacks!!)
* half brother and stepbrother are used interchangeably, even though those are not the same thing
* “I turned eighteen next week.”
* so much talk of religious stuff, which really has zero weight on the story
* Queen Elizabeth I’s ‘On Monsieur’s Departure’ is quoted and referenced, which means this takes place sometime post 1600, during “The Age of Barbarians”, which if that is supposed to be similar to the Viking era means there is few hundred years difference in those timelines
* the whole uprising plot was very thrown together and did really make a lot of sense at a glance and less sense upon closer examination (whatever came of the missing Praelar?)
* there are gated mates, but apparently you can have a mate who already found their mate, so I’m unclear on how that’s fated, or why a Praelar would have a fated mate that was human if Praelar live so much longer than humans, seems cruel
* karls can apparently be thousands of years old
* “Nighttime came, thick like black straps of molasses bleeding over the sky”… why are sky metaphors always the most nonsensical things?
* magic muzzles which will be the downfall of the Praelar and never come into play
* magic bear traps hidden under fake floors and a cage that falls on a stage with spikes, that may or may not be magic, all rigged up in a warehouse for some nonsensical climatic battle scene
* magic noose that will “wrap around the neck of whomever you will it to. The noose will tighten, then expel spikes into their necks, killing them instantly”, only the noose kills the wrong person and breaks their neck with no spikes involved… seems like a shitty magic noose… but you would also think a giant wolf with ice horns and “infused with the power of Addum” would need a magic noose to kill his enemies
* bad math: Julian was 10, and Lucious was 15 when Lucious killed Julian’s parents and sparked a rebellion. Julian is now 18, so that means 8 years have passed, but Lucious mentions all the things he has accomplished before he turned 29. 15+8=/=29
It should be noted that I did enjoy the parts with Julian, the virgin courtesan once bound for priesthood, trying to seduce his parents killers (who also ate them alive, no big deal), so that he can in turn kill him. But those parts where so few and I wanted a more gradual transition from hate to love.
July 29, 2021
This book has a great premise - an alternative Iceland in a world where Jarls (previously nobles, now lower class citizens) and Prælar wolf-shifters (previously slaves, now in more of a position of power) are figuratively at each others' throats, whilst the Karls (magic users) and Skælinger (half-lings) look on. In Reykjavik, the most powerful Prælar (Lucious) meets Julian, a Jarl courtesan whilst they're both embroiled in the unrest in the city.
Clearly, I like the world-building, though I do think I could be developed a little more with more insight into the shifter mates aspect. There's the makings of a truly great plot, too, with political intrigue and questions about who should rule in Reykjavik, doubts cast on who can be trusted, etc. As for the characters, Lucious and Julian could hardly be more opposite (in physical build and abilities, in life experience, etc.) - great, who doesn't love an opposites attract trope? I appreciate they both have a complicated and painful past but, sadly, that's about as far as I got with engaging with these MCs. I wasn't really feeling a deep connection (especially as they're fated mates) between them.
I know I read an uncorrected proof but, even so, there are proofreading and editorial snags that might have had an impact on how much I enjoyed this book. There's so much promise in King of The Titans, but it doesn't quite hit the heights for me.
An ARC was provided by Booksprout via GRR. This is my honest review.
Clearly, I like the world-building, though I do think I could be developed a little more with more insight into the shifter mates aspect. There's the makings of a truly great plot, too, with political intrigue and questions about who should rule in Reykjavik, doubts cast on who can be trusted, etc. As for the characters, Lucious and Julian could hardly be more opposite (in physical build and abilities, in life experience, etc.) - great, who doesn't love an opposites attract trope? I appreciate they both have a complicated and painful past but, sadly, that's about as far as I got with engaging with these MCs. I wasn't really feeling a deep connection (especially as they're fated mates) between them.
I know I read an uncorrected proof but, even so, there are proofreading and editorial snags that might have had an impact on how much I enjoyed this book. There's so much promise in King of The Titans, but it doesn't quite hit the heights for me.
An ARC was provided by Booksprout via GRR. This is my honest review.
August 6, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
This story takes place in an alternate Iceland and has some truly wonderful world building. Between normal humans and the wolf-shifter Þrælar are the occasional halfling, the Skrælingjar who are rarely born from the union of Þrælar and human. There are are also Karls, a sort of witch or druid magic-using race, and they and the world they live in feel whole and fleshed-out.
Julian is the son of a jarl, an abusive monster, albeit one who loved Julian’s mother and treated her well. He did not, however, treat his other wives or children so kindly, and Julian feels obligated and bound to please his half-brother Franc and half-sister Misha, to prove his worthiness to them, to make up for his father’s disdain and, secretly, for the ruin of their lives he has caused. Julian was going to be a priest of his father’s god, but it means as much to him as any part of his past life did. Now, everything is wrapped up with Lucious, the White Demon, whose touch sets his blood on fire and who took both his virginity and his heart. Even as his loyalty to the jarls demands he kill Lucious, Julian can’t quite bring himself to hurt anyone.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
This story takes place in an alternate Iceland and has some truly wonderful world building. Between normal humans and the wolf-shifter Þrælar are the occasional halfling, the Skrælingjar who are rarely born from the union of Þrælar and human. There are are also Karls, a sort of witch or druid magic-using race, and they and the world they live in feel whole and fleshed-out.
Julian is the son of a jarl, an abusive monster, albeit one who loved Julian’s mother and treated her well. He did not, however, treat his other wives or children so kindly, and Julian feels obligated and bound to please his half-brother Franc and half-sister Misha, to prove his worthiness to them, to make up for his father’s disdain and, secretly, for the ruin of their lives he has caused. Julian was going to be a priest of his father’s god, but it means as much to him as any part of his past life did. Now, everything is wrapped up with Lucious, the White Demon, whose touch sets his blood on fire and who took both his virginity and his heart. Even as his loyalty to the jarls demands he kill Lucious, Julian can’t quite bring himself to hurt anyone.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
August 8, 2021
Holy cow, this book was great! To sum it up, I can only say that once you start reading, you will not want to put the book down. As the reader follows the story, he or she enters a different time and place and comes to know people who are filled with hope and despair and wrath. There are plenty of surprises in this book, that is for sure. I really liked it! This is Julian and Lucious' story, and I want to save you the time and suspense by not spoiling any of it. It is really important to completely immerse yourself in their universe. You will not regret doing this!I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 31, 2021
OMG this book was good! All I can say is that once you start you will not want to put it down. The reader is drawn into another time and place with characters that are filled with love and hate and revenge. This book keeps you guessing and there are surprises to say the least. Loved it! This is Julian’s and Lucious’s saga and I don’t want to say too much since you really need to read this book. I highly recommend losing yourself in their world. You won’t regret it at all!!!
August 1, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Brilliant world building,great characters and a different interpretation of the Viking,Icelandic ruling class system.
I'm not going to give spoilers for this book,as I don't want to ruin it for anyone.
I received an ARC copy of this book via Booksprout,from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
Brilliant world building,great characters and a different interpretation of the Viking,Icelandic ruling class system.
I'm not going to give spoilers for this book,as I don't want to ruin it for anyone.
I received an ARC copy of this book via Booksprout,from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.
August 8, 2021
All he is after now is revenge on the ones who killed his family and sold him to the highest bidder. He has a chance for that but he finds him falling for them. What will he do? Will he still want revenge? How will it all go? Follow them to see
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 3, 2023
The overall story was interesting but I was feeling very "meh" by the end.
I probably wont be continuing with the series.
I probably wont be continuing with the series.
July 31, 2021
interesting.. different.. curious.. kept me interested and it was action packed and fast moving. good story and i hope there will be more.
August 31, 2021
This didn’t make any sense - 1.5 stars
I’m confused. Was this supposed to be our world? Or one that had conveniently similarly named cities? If our world, then why wouldn’t some of the jarls have left Iceland for the European continent to form a government in exile? Why did we have so much of a Scandinavian influence on language, and yet not either of the religions presented in the book? Was this supposed to be an alternate reality of Iceland?
Beyond the very confusing setting of the book, is it really reasonable to have a king for 3 years and not once have seen his likeness? Or heard any hint of a rumor about his past, other than some vague description of being a former general? Included in the unbelievability of the whole situation, how was it that everyone who met Julian, in this story, instantly knew that he had been mated to Lucious - but once they are separated, no one has any idea about it? How was Julian able to live in peace without someone trying to kidnap him and use him as leverage against Lucious?
I’m sorry, but I just didn’t buy this. The setting was confusing, the characters weren’t believable, and the ending (honestly) sucked. It was the same kind of thing that happened at the end of the movie version of ‘My Fair Lady’ where the jerk keeps on being a jerk, Eliza steps right back into her role as a doormat, and somehow, that’s supposed to be appealing, or endearing?
I’m confused. Was this supposed to be our world? Or one that had conveniently similarly named cities? If our world, then why wouldn’t some of the jarls have left Iceland for the European continent to form a government in exile? Why did we have so much of a Scandinavian influence on language, and yet not either of the religions presented in the book? Was this supposed to be an alternate reality of Iceland?
Beyond the very confusing setting of the book, is it really reasonable to have a king for 3 years and not once have seen his likeness? Or heard any hint of a rumor about his past, other than some vague description of being a former general? Included in the unbelievability of the whole situation, how was it that everyone who met Julian, in this story, instantly knew that he had been mated to Lucious - but once they are separated, no one has any idea about it? How was Julian able to live in peace without someone trying to kidnap him and use him as leverage against Lucious?
I’m sorry, but I just didn’t buy this. The setting was confusing, the characters weren’t believable, and the ending (honestly) sucked. It was the same kind of thing that happened at the end of the movie version of ‘My Fair Lady’ where the jerk keeps on being a jerk, Eliza steps right back into her role as a doormat, and somehow, that’s supposed to be appealing, or endearing?
August 6, 2021
King of the Titans surprised me in the best way.
It was a bit of a slow start, with a massive info dump, when this got moving, King of the Titans drew me in, and I didn’t want to stop reading. Don’t get me wrong though, there is so much lore in this world that I feel like you can be forgiven for being a bit confused every so often.
We start with Julian who is a jarl, the former noble class made up of humans, and Lucious Rex, The Arctic Demon, a Þrælar, which are wolf shifters. Within this world, there are also karls, who are magic users, and Skrælingjar, who are half Þrælar, half-human. As a side note, there is no pronunciation guide for this book and I really feel like one is needed, cause Þrælar? Skrælingjar? I’m so lost.
After an uprising by the Þrælar, who had been kept as slaves for far too long by the jarls, Lucious has been a pseudo leader of his people. Julian, who lost his family, wealth and power in the uprising is part of a group of jarls who want to restore order by killing the arctic demon and putting the jarls back at the top of the food chain. In order for this to happen, Julian works for the local madame, with the intention of becoming a courtesan when he turns eighteen. The idea is that this would enable him to be in close quarters with the demon, to then kill him when he is at his most vulnerable.
What he doesn’t plan for is for Lucious to not want him. Not really. It was an interesting twist for the story, where the plan falls apart so quickly, on account of the demon not wanting to take Julian to bed because Lucious doesn’t trust him. And rightfully so, because while we have a slow burn romance going on with Julian and Lucious, Julian is working with his family and the ‘Coin Collector’, as a part of the jarl uprising, which Lucious is trying to stop.
Honestly, this was great, Lucious and Julian had a relationship that developed really nicely, and Julian’s growth over the course of the story arc was really well done and well thought out. Lucious also had a lot of character growth but was very different to the path Julian went down.
And at the end? This was truly one of the best endings I’ve read in a while. The payoff was huge, it was just the perfect ending to this story.
One thing I should mention is that even though this is described as an extremely dark romance, I don’t think it is. There is definitely violence, and discussions of past sexual assaults, and instances of almost assault on-page, which yeah, is dark, overall, it’s not super dark.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.
It was a bit of a slow start, with a massive info dump, when this got moving, King of the Titans drew me in, and I didn’t want to stop reading. Don’t get me wrong though, there is so much lore in this world that I feel like you can be forgiven for being a bit confused every so often.
We start with Julian who is a jarl, the former noble class made up of humans, and Lucious Rex, The Arctic Demon, a Þrælar, which are wolf shifters. Within this world, there are also karls, who are magic users, and Skrælingjar, who are half Þrælar, half-human. As a side note, there is no pronunciation guide for this book and I really feel like one is needed, cause Þrælar? Skrælingjar? I’m so lost.
After an uprising by the Þrælar, who had been kept as slaves for far too long by the jarls, Lucious has been a pseudo leader of his people. Julian, who lost his family, wealth and power in the uprising is part of a group of jarls who want to restore order by killing the arctic demon and putting the jarls back at the top of the food chain. In order for this to happen, Julian works for the local madame, with the intention of becoming a courtesan when he turns eighteen. The idea is that this would enable him to be in close quarters with the demon, to then kill him when he is at his most vulnerable.
What he doesn’t plan for is for Lucious to not want him. Not really. It was an interesting twist for the story, where the plan falls apart so quickly, on account of the demon not wanting to take Julian to bed because Lucious doesn’t trust him. And rightfully so, because while we have a slow burn romance going on with Julian and Lucious, Julian is working with his family and the ‘Coin Collector’, as a part of the jarl uprising, which Lucious is trying to stop.
Honestly, this was great, Lucious and Julian had a relationship that developed really nicely, and Julian’s growth over the course of the story arc was really well done and well thought out. Lucious also had a lot of character growth but was very different to the path Julian went down.
And at the end? This was truly one of the best endings I’ve read in a while. The payoff was huge, it was just the perfect ending to this story.
One thing I should mention is that even though this is described as an extremely dark romance, I don’t think it is. There is definitely violence, and discussions of past sexual assaults, and instances of almost assault on-page, which yeah, is dark, overall, it’s not super dark.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.
December 5, 2021
JK Jones is one of my favorite authors. They're actually the top 10 of my all-time favorites. I absolutely loved their writing. They wrote one of my favorite series of all time, The Weep series. So when King of Titans was offered as an ARC, I didn't even read the blurb, I just grabbed it.
I enjoyed King of Titans but it has some flaws. Then why the 5 stars, you might ask? Before I go into that, let me list out the flaws:
1) I found some inconsistencies such as age of the main characters, especially Luscious. Perhaps I just didn't understand. But I pride myself in reading the details well. I especially get into the details about the main characters background and backstory. I was just confused about Luscious' age. In the beginning, the story had him at nearly 15 years old while Julian was 10 years of age. So this means that it has been 8 years since the rebellion, the revolution as Julian has just turned 18 as the current events started. But towards the middle of the story, it was revealed that Luscious has freed all the praelors all before he turned 29. How could this be if he was just 14 when he started the revolution and it has only been 8 years?
2) I thought some things like why Rodim.loved Julian, who wasn't his own flesh and blood, more than his own son. I thought this didn't really make any sense to me. I thought it would've worked better if he was his blood son and not just a step son.
3) There was also inconsistencies in the relationships between the Whiteford family members. Sometimes they're half siblings but they should really be step siblings.
4) Since it has only been 8 years, shouldn't Luscious recognize Julian? Being 10 years old is not like being 6 or younger. I felt Julian's character should have been younger the way it was written.
There are some more editing issues I could point out. But the editing issues doesn't take away from the amazing story itself and the lesson it's trying to convey. The King of Titans is still written beautifully as I would expect from JK Jones. So I would give this a chance and grab it and read it. And hope the author would make a revision and clarify some confusion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I enjoyed King of Titans but it has some flaws. Then why the 5 stars, you might ask? Before I go into that, let me list out the flaws:
1) I found some inconsistencies such as age of the main characters, especially Luscious. Perhaps I just didn't understand. But I pride myself in reading the details well. I especially get into the details about the main characters background and backstory. I was just confused about Luscious' age. In the beginning, the story had him at nearly 15 years old while Julian was 10 years of age. So this means that it has been 8 years since the rebellion, the revolution as Julian has just turned 18 as the current events started. But towards the middle of the story, it was revealed that Luscious has freed all the praelors all before he turned 29. How could this be if he was just 14 when he started the revolution and it has only been 8 years?
2) I thought some things like why Rodim.loved Julian, who wasn't his own flesh and blood, more than his own son. I thought this didn't really make any sense to me. I thought it would've worked better if he was his blood son and not just a step son.
3) There was also inconsistencies in the relationships between the Whiteford family members. Sometimes they're half siblings but they should really be step siblings.
4) Since it has only been 8 years, shouldn't Luscious recognize Julian? Being 10 years old is not like being 6 or younger. I felt Julian's character should have been younger the way it was written.
There are some more editing issues I could point out. But the editing issues doesn't take away from the amazing story itself and the lesson it's trying to convey. The King of Titans is still written beautifully as I would expect from JK Jones. So I would give this a chance and grab it and read it. And hope the author would make a revision and clarify some confusion.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 2, 2021
Historical paranormal, dark romance in fictional times in Reykjavik, Iceland
Warning: there are scenes of attempted rape and talk of such. There is cruelty and family/friend betrayal. Having said that, I did enjoy this story but I like dark fiction sometimes. This story takes place during a barbaric time so don’t be surprised by the dirty deeds that occur. It is a kill or be killed time in this fictional history.
Julian was a high-born jarl headed to be a priest to the god of the stars, Zathos before the revolt of the ƥrælar wolves. Now the tables have turned and the ƥrælar wolves are in charge. They are just as vicious as the jarl were, maybe even worse. Certain factions of the jarl are not going to take it anymore. They have a plan which involves Julian enticing the “Arctic Demon” to his bed and then killing him. Thing is when Lucious aka Arctic Demon meets Julian, sparks fly. There is immediate attraction. What will happen next? Can Julian fulfill his duty? There will be twists and turns before this ending. I was not too surprised by the ending but very astonished on the journey to it.
I enjoyed this story and I couldn’t put the book down toward the last half. There were only a few editing issues that I wished had been corrected in my published-edition of the book although I volunteered to review an ARC through Booksprout. If you like dark shifter romance, why not try this book? I was pleasantly surprised.
Warning: there are scenes of attempted rape and talk of such. There is cruelty and family/friend betrayal. Having said that, I did enjoy this story but I like dark fiction sometimes. This story takes place during a barbaric time so don’t be surprised by the dirty deeds that occur. It is a kill or be killed time in this fictional history.
Julian was a high-born jarl headed to be a priest to the god of the stars, Zathos before the revolt of the ƥrælar wolves. Now the tables have turned and the ƥrælar wolves are in charge. They are just as vicious as the jarl were, maybe even worse. Certain factions of the jarl are not going to take it anymore. They have a plan which involves Julian enticing the “Arctic Demon” to his bed and then killing him. Thing is when Lucious aka Arctic Demon meets Julian, sparks fly. There is immediate attraction. What will happen next? Can Julian fulfill his duty? There will be twists and turns before this ending. I was not too surprised by the ending but very astonished on the journey to it.
I enjoyed this story and I couldn’t put the book down toward the last half. There were only a few editing issues that I wished had been corrected in my published-edition of the book although I volunteered to review an ARC through Booksprout. If you like dark shifter romance, why not try this book? I was pleasantly surprised.
May 7, 2024
As far as historical fantasy books go, this was an interesting story. Julian and Lucious were destined to be together, and I am not sure I mean that in a romantic way.
The story was steeped in political and wartime lore, so there were parts that I tuned out (listened via audiobook). The narration was really good, and the different character voices did not annoy me as some often do. I probably would not have finished this book had I read it (heavy storyline at times and convoluted with different ethnic groups/species who really disliked each other). However, the narrator's voice was relaxing and chill, so it made it tolerable to get through.
There is spice, but half of it stems from trauma. The story paces along until near the end, which is where the storyline starts to come to a head. Honestly, I am not even sure if the ending was satisfying to me. It was okay. Some people got their just desserts who deserved it. There were several "bad guys," but the convolution I mentioned earlier had me scratching my head by the end of the book because even though motives were explained, there was a point where I was like, "I don't think I care anymore at this point."
By the end, I just wanted to know that Julian and Lucious were going to get their happily ever after. Seriously, that was it.
The story was steeped in political and wartime lore, so there were parts that I tuned out (listened via audiobook). The narration was really good, and the different character voices did not annoy me as some often do. I probably would not have finished this book had I read it (heavy storyline at times and convoluted with different ethnic groups/species who really disliked each other). However, the narrator's voice was relaxing and chill, so it made it tolerable to get through.
There is spice, but half of it stems from trauma. The story paces along until near the end, which is where the storyline starts to come to a head. Honestly, I am not even sure if the ending was satisfying to me. It was okay. Some people got their just desserts who deserved it. There were several "bad guys," but the convolution I mentioned earlier had me scratching my head by the end of the book because even though motives were explained, there was a point where I was like, "I don't think I care anymore at this point."
By the end, I just wanted to know that Julian and Lucious were going to get their happily ever after. Seriously, that was it.
July 26, 2021
A totally unique take on shifters with a well built world, great depth of characters, and a wonderful story.
In this version of Iceland and the isles in the area, shifters were once slaves to humans, but have rebelled and overthrown their slavers. The relationship between the two races, the mixed human/shifter race, and the other paranormals is not good – there are still a lot of tensions from the war, and some are not satisfied that the fighting has ended.
Lucious is the wolf/Titan who started the rebellion and inspired the wolves to rise. Julian is the youngest child of the House/family in which Lucious was a slave and is determined to kill Lucious to, hopefully, cause the wolves leadership structure to collapse without its greatest member.
Through a twist of fate, and both learning more about each other than they expected, and about each other’s races, plans are derailed. Between their budding trust in one another, as well as betrayals by both humans and wolves, the two almost don’t have a chance to get to their HEA, despite being mates.
There’s so much opportunity for more stories in this world with these characters, and others. It was very refreshing to see shifters handled a little differently than what we see in other books!
In this version of Iceland and the isles in the area, shifters were once slaves to humans, but have rebelled and overthrown their slavers. The relationship between the two races, the mixed human/shifter race, and the other paranormals is not good – there are still a lot of tensions from the war, and some are not satisfied that the fighting has ended.
Lucious is the wolf/Titan who started the rebellion and inspired the wolves to rise. Julian is the youngest child of the House/family in which Lucious was a slave and is determined to kill Lucious to, hopefully, cause the wolves leadership structure to collapse without its greatest member.
Through a twist of fate, and both learning more about each other than they expected, and about each other’s races, plans are derailed. Between their budding trust in one another, as well as betrayals by both humans and wolves, the two almost don’t have a chance to get to their HEA, despite being mates.
There’s so much opportunity for more stories in this world with these characters, and others. It was very refreshing to see shifters handled a little differently than what we see in other books!
July 31, 2021
This story is built around a fascinating premise — a fraught society of humans and shifters with a complicated, turbulent history in which wolf shifters who used to be slaves and humans who used to be nobles exist in a world that also has magic users and halflings. There’s strife aplenty, and it’s an intriguing backdrop for the relationship between Lucious and Julian. Actually, backdrop isn’t quite the right word, as both characters are defined by these social dynamics and the events that created them. For ideas alone, I loved this book, but sometimes the implementation didn’t quite live up to all of the promise. There are some things that get glossed over, others that aren’t totally clear, and the characters sometimes make choices that didn’t make sense to me. While there are some rough edges with execution, for me the overall promise of the world building was enough to make this an intriguing, worthwhile read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 1, 2021
The concept behind this book was really interesting to me, with some great worldbuilding and some mythology that was really engaging, however overall I found it just too much all in one book. The amount of new and , in some cases, unnecessary information in there was just a bit overwhelming, and while the high fantasy style is consistent with the genre, at times I found my eyes just skipping over because there was more detail than I could take in.
I found it difficult to like the characters as well, which is always a risk when the book leans towards dark, horror-esque themes. We're obviously not supposed to like all of the characters, but I do think as a reader you need to at least connect with the main characters emotionally, and I didn't find I could do that. This book is very gritty, with the triggering issues that I would suggest readers check the content warning for, and on the whole, I felt it was a bit one note in terms of tone (dark and violent), and that it needed more moments of levity and time to let the reader breathe a bit.
I found it difficult to like the characters as well, which is always a risk when the book leans towards dark, horror-esque themes. We're obviously not supposed to like all of the characters, but I do think as a reader you need to at least connect with the main characters emotionally, and I didn't find I could do that. This book is very gritty, with the triggering issues that I would suggest readers check the content warning for, and on the whole, I felt it was a bit one note in terms of tone (dark and violent), and that it needed more moments of levity and time to let the reader breathe a bit.
August 4, 2021
Unique take on the shifter world.
Julian has lost his family in a horrific way and he's hell bent on vengeance.
Lucious is the object of his hatred.
Things go haywire when they meet and the sparks between them are hot enough to combust.
Complicated isn't a strong enough word to describe what happens when Julian begins to get to know Lucious and discovers things aren't always as they seem.
The emotional connection between them was palpable and virtually leapt off the pages.
There's political intrigue, race relations, action, drama, mystery and suspense which kept me on the edge of my seat.
Julian has lost his family in a horrific way and he's hell bent on vengeance.
Lucious is the object of his hatred.
Things go haywire when they meet and the sparks between them are hot enough to combust.
Complicated isn't a strong enough word to describe what happens when Julian begins to get to know Lucious and discovers things aren't always as they seem.
The emotional connection between them was palpable and virtually leapt off the pages.
There's political intrigue, race relations, action, drama, mystery and suspense which kept me on the edge of my seat.
October 6, 2021
I enjoyed this book a lot but there were some things that could have improved. The concept was great and the idea of this world where wolves were kept as captives but rose to dominance is very interesting. I absolutely loved lucious, To be honest Julian was kind of annoying hence the reason for 3 stars.
So for centuries it’s ok for jarls to keep the wolves as slaves but when wolves did the same it’s a crime? I mean I completely understand both sides but julien just made it hard to sympathize.
I wish we could get a book showing Lucious and his journey to become a king, I would love nothing more than to see him on this epic quest.
So for centuries it’s ok for jarls to keep the wolves as slaves but when wolves did the same it’s a crime? I mean I completely understand both sides but julien just made it hard to sympathize.
I wish we could get a book showing Lucious and his journey to become a king, I would love nothing more than to see him on this epic quest.
November 13, 2022
Oh wow. This was such an original idea for a series. I loved this story, steeped in Nordic myth and history. Absolutely loved it. It broke my heart into pieces and put them back together again. Do NOT give up on this if you read it. Lucious and Julian are from two differ sides of a long and bloody conflict, one always trying to destroy the other. But who are really the monsters. Maybe both? Can they find a way to have peace? I loved these characters and got quickly hooked into the story. I can’t wait to read the next one. There was so much love and passion here between our characters. The conflict Julian feels almost destroys him but it is all worth it in the end!
July 24, 2021
First, this cover! This cover is beautiful and it really drew me in. I found this to be a quick read, and not as dark as the author warned. There were some discrepencies. For instance, time. I don't know if I was just confused, but in one part, the author said that Lucious was 5 years older than Julian, and for most of this book, Julian is 18. Another part, it was written that Lucious faught these wars for centuries. It doesn't add up to me. I think there could have been more world building. It has a unique idea. I did enjoy it.
August 2, 2021
Julian White pretends to be a courtesan. The only way to get close enough to assassinate a king. After his clan was decimated, it was the only way he saw to avenge all that was lost. Luscious "Arctic Demon" Rex is barbaric. Takes what he wants at any cost.
Neither man expected to fall for the other. One complicated experience after another. Powerful, intriguing, interesting development of life between humans and shifters.
**I received a free copy of this book via GRR for my honest feedback.**
Neither man expected to fall for the other. One complicated experience after another. Powerful, intriguing, interesting development of life between humans and shifters.
**I received a free copy of this book via GRR for my honest feedback.**
August 3, 2021
Your best yet
This book was by far probably the best one yet I just wished it didn’t end so soon I read it in one night I couldn’t put down the book. From friends to foe to lovers just wow. Even as though Julian is beautiful he is by far not weak to his stature. Lucious has a sad beginning and throughout the story he tends to grow on you. I felt like the ending was rushed. If anything this book could’ve been split into series. We needed more background stories on their beliefs and with the karls, jarls, and wolves. But overall I still loved the book
This book was by far probably the best one yet I just wished it didn’t end so soon I read it in one night I couldn’t put down the book. From friends to foe to lovers just wow. Even as though Julian is beautiful he is by far not weak to his stature. Lucious has a sad beginning and throughout the story he tends to grow on you. I felt like the ending was rushed. If anything this book could’ve been split into series. We needed more background stories on their beliefs and with the karls, jarls, and wolves. But overall I still loved the book
August 4, 2021
I liked this story! It is dark and strange. It talks about revenge and about how horrible people ( and in this case warewolves) can be to each other when roles reverse...
If you like fluffy, simple, lighthearted books this one is not for you. I tried to read it in one go, but there were some difficult parts that broke my heart and had me stop reading.
I do recommend it if you like your stories a bit twisted.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
If you like fluffy, simple, lighthearted books this one is not for you. I tried to read it in one go, but there were some difficult parts that broke my heart and had me stop reading.
I do recommend it if you like your stories a bit twisted.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 5, 2021
I enjoyed this compelling dark romance. It's a perfect tale of what happens when the rulers become the ruled, especially if they were less than benevolent. This is a story of war, conflict between humans and wolf shifters, death, and desire for vengeance. Julian is an assassin intending to seduce then kill Lucious, but what will happen when Julian finds himself attracted to the Arctic Demon? Will he change his mind? Great world-building and character development, paranormal and magic, too.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
August 1, 2021
This story of Julian and Lucious is plenty steamy both because of the fact that both are passionate men, but also because of the power dynamic between them and a history that the word "complicated" doesn't begin to describe. As we watch their relationship develop and change them as individuals, it becomes clear that these changes will have an impact on their entire world. This story has character and world building that grabs hou and won't let go.
August 22, 2021
A little different
This story was interesting, the premise fascinating. A story about shifters and non-shifters with a history steeped in conflict, subjugation, murder and rape. The conflict continues and the Artic Demon must find a way to bring peace between his people and the humans. But that isn't easy because there is conflict in every side. This story was solid and I enjoyed the characters!
This story was interesting, the premise fascinating. A story about shifters and non-shifters with a history steeped in conflict, subjugation, murder and rape. The conflict continues and the Artic Demon must find a way to bring peace between his people and the humans. But that isn't easy because there is conflict in every side. This story was solid and I enjoyed the characters!
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